Cellulite afflictions are a stubborn problem causing emotional and psychological distress to many women. Cellulite primarily afflicts the thighs and buttocks but may also be present on the stomach and upper arms. Frequently, cellulite presents an unsightly, lumpy orange-peel appearance. Clinically, cellulite manifests a range of symptoms including thinning of the epidermis, reduction and breakdown of the microvasculature leading to subdermal accumulations of fluids, and subdermal agglomerations of fatty tissue. It has been observed that polymeric proteoglycans are a primary component of these agglomerations.
To liberate these trapped fatty agglomerations and fluids, the local application of enzymes or enzyme containing compositions has been proposed since the enzymes are capable of depolymerizing the proteoglycans. These enzymes include mucopolysaccharidases and, more particularly, hyaluronidase, thiomucase and .alpha.-mucase.
Among the methods for stimulating lipolysis, the most commonly known and used is that which consists in inhibiting the phosphodiesterase in order to prevent or at least limit the rate of degradation of cyclic AMP. In effect, the phosphodiesterase destroys cyclic AMP by transforming it into 5' AMP so that it cannot function as a lipolysis activator.
It is important then to inhibit the activity of the phosphodiesterase in a manner so as to have a high amount of cyclic AMP at the level of the adipocytes thereby stimulating lipolytic activity.
Representative various phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which have been known as slimming agents, include in particular xanthine derivatives and more particularly theophylline, caffeine and theobromine.
Moreover, it has also been known to use certain oleosoluble vegetable extracts which, according to a different mechanism, can also act as a slimming agent. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,638 there is disclosed a thermo slimming cosmetic composition containing an oil-soluble plant extract having slimming action. Representative of these oil-soluble plant extracts are vegetable extracts including, principally, those of climbing ivy (Hedera helix), arnica (Arnica montana), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis N), marigold (Calendula officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis N), ginseng (Panax ginseng), St. Johns-wart (Hypericum perforatum), ruscus (Ruscus aculeatus), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria L) and orthosiphon (Ortosifon stamincus Benth), as well as mixtures of these vegetable extracts.
Notwithstanding such disclosures, there remains a need for improved compositions for reducing cellulite in mammalian skin. The present inventor has found that skin care compositions containing niacinamide aid in reducing cellulite in skin.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods for reducing cellulite in mammalian skin.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide topically applied, skin compositions for reducing cellulite containing a safe and effective amount of niacinamide.
These and other objects will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.